Spain
Southern Spain Yesterday & Today: Madrid, Granada & Seville
Program No. 22175RJ
Southern Spain Yesterday & Today: Madrid, Granada & Seville
Southern Spain Yesterday & Today: Madrid, Granada & Seville
Participant Reviews
Based on 51 Reviews
SHOWING
Our tour guide in Spain, Maria Blanco, and our fellow travelers made the trip fun and interesting. Kudos to Maria for keeping us all together, at times it was like herding cats. Great trip, great group and looking forward to another one.
— Review left November 18, 2025
We loved this trip and it was a great time to go because the weather was cooler but with few rainy days. Our trip leader, Lucia Gonzales Nieto, was super experienced, knowledgeable, friendly and solicitous. Our local guides and lecturers were excellent. We had never traveled to Spain before and now we know so much about Spain's history and culture. It was a trip to remember!
— Review left November 11, 2025
The tour of Sephardic Spain took me to place I'd visited before - more than once - but I learned more about Spanish history - and its impact on American history - than I'd known before and as a student of literature and history, I thought I had a pretty good grasp of the Iberian peninsula and it's culture, but I learned so much on this trip thanks to the presenters and the places we visited.
— Review left October 29, 2025
Super interesting
— Review left October 23, 2025
The Road Scholar trip to Southern Spain brought to life the events and personal relationships that created the history of Spain that I had been taught but hadn't fully appreciated.
— Review left October 22, 2025
Great trip!
Saw and learned a lot!!
Wonderfu; guide who was always watching out for us!!
— Review left September 29, 2025
This was a wonderful trip that gave us a great overview of Madrid and key destinations in southern Spain. The local tour guides and our tour leader, Lucia, were excellent--knowledgeable, experienced, intelligent, and warm. The hotels, meals, and activities were all very well chosen and our group of twenty was very congenial. This was our first Road Scholar tour and we really appreciated the exciting and well orchestrated itinerary.
— Review left May 27, 2025
Southern Spain Yesterday and Today was a superb experience with amazing experts in each city
Our Team Leader, Maria, was kind and caring but lacked English Communication Skills, limiting her abilities to share more information about Spain on our long bus rides.
— Review left April 22, 2025
And incredible tour. Planned and executed without hardly a hitch. Our program guide, Maria, was exceptional and made the tour welcoming and warm. She was a gem and handled managing over 20 people look easy. The experiences were wonderful and taught me so much I didn’t know about Spain. There service department went above and beyond for me and my travel companion. An error was made on our return flights. Road scholar immediately owned the mistake and immediately took necessary actions to fix the mistake and get us home on time. Would highly recommend to anyone.
— Review left April 8, 2025
This program offers an enchanting journey through the history and present of southern Spain. Madrid, Granada, and Sevilla are thriving modern cities that have managed to preserve their historic old centers as living communities. Seeing how the culture of Al Andalus formed the basis of both Muslim and Christian kingdoms in medieval Spain was a fascinating learning experience.
— Review left March 30, 2025
The trip was fantastic, a small group with similar likes and excellent accommodations, food and tour guides. Highly recommended it and can't wait to go on another Road Scholar trip.
— Review left November 11, 2024
I enjoyed the 11 days spent on this program: "Southern Spain Yesterday & Today: Madrid, Granada & Seville," and I would give it 4/5 stars. The traveler needs to be aware that Spain is experiencing a huge influx of tourism, which makes for sights such as the Prado and the Alhambra packed. I don't think I was quite prepared for this aspect. However, if big cities, which are delightfully walkable, appeal to you, then I think you will enjoy visiting these historic Spanish cities. This trip offers a great deal of free time, but too little free time in the lovely cities of Toledo and Cordoba. Hopefully, Road Scholar will find a way to extend this particular program by a day to address this shortcoming.
— Review left October 30, 2024
My wife and I loved this program to Madrid and southern Spain. As a lover of history and art, this program brought my college courses to life. We visited world class museums, cathedrals, mosques and synagogue that were amazing. They were mind blowing incredible! The country is beautiful, the people very friendly and the food very delicious. Road Scholar curated very educational programs, with very knowledgeable expert guides, lecturers and our group leader, Maria Blanco took great care of us.
The program is very well organized, with all the logistics handled, making our travel experience stress-free, relaxing and more enjoyable. This was our second Road Scholar program, and we already have a third program booked for next Spring. One price covers flights, transportation, tickets to all attractions, gratuities included for drivers, restaurant and hotel staff. We will use Road Scholar for all our international travel going forward.
— Review left October 27, 2024
It was a great trip! Maria (our Group Leader) was well-organized, knowledgeable, and helpful. The expert guides were were personable and provided so much in-depth knowledge of the sites we visited.
— Review left April 25, 2024
Wonderful trip! I enjoyed the pace, the leader, the lecturers, the flamenco show and the cooking class.
I wish there were fewer people, about 18 sounds good. I wish there were some additional information that was shared during our nearly five hour drive to Granada.
My name was misspelled on my ticket and there was no person to help me on the weekend. I think you need to rethink this because the emergency people were not authorized to get me a different ticket with my name correctly spelled. This should never have happened if there were someone who rechecked the spelling on tickets at your end. Your staff wanted me to call them from Spain but I didn't have a phone. You should realize that too. Eventually my leader contacted you and you called her phone to talk to me about my return trip, which had to be rebooked. The flight home was uneventful and great.
— Review left March 27, 2024
Southern Spain should be on everyone's bucket list. The history involving the three major religious cultures, unique beautiful architecture, cites and food is an experience anyone interested in Europe should have. The hotels were comfortable and located in the center of the key cities allowing for personal exploration on foot. The guides were wonderful in getting you to the key locations and helping you understand the important features of what you are seeing. While I have enjoyed all of my Road Scholar trips, this is among the best.
— Review left March 25, 2024
This was my first trip. It was all that I was looking for.
— Review left March 24, 2024
The group leader for this program, Luisa Gonzales is simply marvelous! We cannot more highly recommend her. The program is excellent and my wife and I highly recommend it,
— Review left March 19, 2024
While I recommend the places we visited, I would not recommend going in November. Despite bringing puffy jackets (wisely ignoring advice to "bring a sweater for cool evenings"), we alternatively froze in the wind and overheated in museums. Be prepared to wander up and down, back and forth when trying to navigate on your own because streets are not always marked and Google Maps goes a bit crazy. Maybe plan out in advance things you want to see because, while there are way too many afternoons and evenings "on your own," they're usually chopped into bits of time. Also be prepared for a lot of secondhand smoke out on the streets.
— Review left November 18, 2023
Superb overview of southern Spain. Guides and instructors were superb. Fun things added like the cooking class for paella was great!!! Would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to experience Spain.
— Review left November 5, 2023
Excellent educational component, learned a lot about old and new Spain.
— Review left November 3, 2023
This was another great Road Scholar trip, enhanced by the skill and talent of Mariola Alonso, our Group Leader, and the many other presenters and guides. A good trip is also measured by the other participants, who were all wonderful travel companions.
— Review left June 23, 2023
This trip was wonderful and far beyond my expectations. I wanted a tour that emphasized the Moorish history of Spain and this is what the whole tour provided. The guides were highly competent. I highly recommend this tour to friends and would repeat it myself.
— Review left June 22, 2023
Our program, Southern Spain Yesterday & Today, was fun, interesting, and memorable. We saw wonderful works of art and amazing buildings and we walked the narrow, winding streets of centuries-old cities. We developed a love for the culture and landscape of Spain. We will travel to Spain again and we will travel with Road Scholar any time we get the chance!
— Review left June 14, 2023
The sites on this trip are so rich in history and culture, especially The Prado in Madrid, The Alhambra in Granada and the Grand Mosque in Cordova. But the lectures on the flamenco and bullfighting and the demonstration for making paella were also wonderful. Our group leader, Lucia, was a bundle of enthusiasm and enabled us to see some things that were not part of the formal program, such as the Pilgrimage of Rocio through Sevilla and guitar-playing in a 100 year-old tapas bar. Guides and lectures were top-notch as always. This was my 10th Road Scholar trip, and none have been disappointing. Great fellow travelers, too!
— Review left June 11, 2023
Thank you Road Scholar for assembling this Tour. Understanding and seeing Southern Spain was a valuable experience for me. The mixing of cultures is unique to this area and provides learnings for everyone. This Tour provides a good mix of seeing important sites, free time and classroom-type experiences. It’s worth the effort to build up your stamina before the Tour starts.
— Review left May 1, 2023
This was a wonderful trip. There were so many sights and history that I was unaware of. We had perfect weather. Sunny and warm with no rain. The group was a nice size and very compatible. The flight home was difficult because of all the transfers. The hotels were well situated and easy to get around.
— Review left May 1, 2023
This is a fascinating and extremely enlightening program. The history of Spain, in particular the southern part of Spain is amazing and changed so many things in the course of history. Our guide, instructors, and tour leaders were great and all the hotels were centrally located and allowed for a very immersive program.
— Review left April 4, 2023
This is a worth while trip, lots to learn and experience.You must in fairly good shape lots of walking and climbing, but not imposible.You must be ready for the type of food served, but that is what makes traveling so exciting. Enjoy the South of Spain!! Hopefully you will have Olav as your guide he was truly awesome!!!!
— Review left April 2, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this RS to Southern Spain! We're usually independent travelers, so appreciated the free time compared to "usual" group tours. Even better was the group time, activities, seeing-and-learning we had with the RS group. We could have arranged much of this itinerary on our own...and in doing so would have missed SO MUCH context, detail, understanding that we gained from our guides. And we'd have missed meeting several new friends, too!
Leader Covadonga was great: informative, positive, helpful and REALLY good at dealing with 15 all-slightly-different personalities of group members. The local guides assisting Cova' ranged from very good... to absolutely superb. Hotels were very good-to-excellent; provided meals ranged in quality - but sure never lacked in quantity. Every museum, church/mosque, palace/farm, etc., was very much worth seeing (some twice, if I ever get another opportunity).
After this trip, I have a better understanding and appreciation for how much the history and culture of Southern Spain has shaped our world today.
— Review left November 22, 2022
Interesting, enlightening and beautiful ! A great program.
— Review left November 3, 2022
A nicely-paced program that enabled us to experience Spain safely, avoid large crowds, and venture out confidently on our own.
— Review left October 30, 2022
The program provides an excellent introduction to Madrid and Moorish Spain. While there is much more to learn, I thought it was a reasonable introduction to a fascinating subject and area. The logistics and organization of the trip were remarkably well-handled.
— Review left October 30, 2022
We just returned (Oct 2022) from the Southern Spain trip. We had a wonderful time and saw two sites on our bucket list, the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba and the Alhambra. Covadonga, our trip leader, was outstanding and one of the best (if not the best) of the guides on all trips (this is our 4th RS trip).
— Review left October 20, 2022
I may have missed this point on the survey. The flight arrangements changed often and In the end, I had trouble getting boarding passes at two points in my travel. Second, it would help to get direct flights when possible. I know there are some fro. SFO
— Review left October 18, 2022
What a wonderful trip through the world of Spanish Andalucia! While I went for the Alhambra (magnificent), this trip taught me about the other beautiful aspects of this unique part of Spain / Europe. History, culture, food, art, comparative religions, FLAMENCO! - there is something for everyone here in the Southern part of Spain! Toledo and Cordoba became new favorites. Now I want to go back to see more of Madrid's museums and music venues; Sevilla's rich and fun-filled nightlife; and maybe get a bit further into the villages of Andalucia (Ronda, Malaga...).
— Review left October 17, 2022
I just returned from my RS trip. The leader Covadonga was outstanding! She was positive, friendly, and worked very, very hard to solve any problems. The group was small & I enjoyed them all! The food was delicious too. There was probably too much of it but I am not complaining. I look forward to booking another trip!
— Review left September 27, 2022
This wonderful program is accurately described in the catalog and on the website. Our group leader (Covadanga) and every local guide were outstanding. Accommodations ranged from good (Madrid and Granada) to outstanding (Seville). Be prepared for lots of free time. Road Scholar and the group leader had many excellent suggestions; however, I wish I had done some advanced planning (e.g., getting theater/concert tickets) myself.
— Review left June 7, 2022
This was a fascinating program that exceeded expectations. Our group leader, Covadonga, was fantastic as were the city guides who interpreted the various sights for us in each city. The expert lectures added to our learning. We were on the go each day and yet never felt rushed. This tour includes many World Heritage sights, which are always worthwhile. Spain is a feast for the eyes and, with good weather and everything blooming, early May was an ideal time to visit. Our group members were all considerate and a pleasure to travel with. My husband and I feel our world view was expanded by learning about the history and culture of the Iberian Peninsula through this excellent program. Highly recommended.
— Review left May 16, 2022
The Alhambra in Granada and the Mezquita in Cordoba are reason alone to take this trip! Unforgettable sites.
— Review left April 11, 2022
Road Scholar definitely lived up to the reputation of being a learning organization. From the structure of the program to the timely lectures and expertly guided tours, education was built into the experience from the ground up and across the entire two weeks. I found the itinerary included all the highlights I would have chosen, plus several hidden gems I might have missed on my own. The excellent planning and execution of the Road Scholar Southern Spain program exceeded my expectations. Finally, our amazing group leader Covadonga Hortal kept all the moving parts on track beautifully, like a swan gliding serenely above the surface while paddling madly below!
— Review left November 21, 2021
This trip is fantastic. Covadonga, our guide was excellent. She is very knowledgable and fun to travel with. The sites in Madrid, Granada, Cordoba and Seville are incredible and the guides and lectures were very informative. I highly recommend this trip to anyone who is interested in Spain! FIVE STARS!
— Review left November 18, 2021
There was so much thought and planning poured into this program. I keep telling everyone about the rich history and culture of Spain. I would anyone with the slightest interest to consider Southern Spain. Our experience was so carefully and beautifully executed that I couldn't ask for anything more.
— Review left November 6, 2021
This was a fascinating trip. We learned a great deal about the lasting Moorish/Arabic influences in the history, culture, and language of southern Spain. The guides and instructors were knowledgeable, clear, and relatable. We visited many great palaces, mosques, cathedrals, and gardens. The trip was structured to include opportunities to meet with local families, learn to cook paella and gazpacho, and to experience flamenco. My congenial fellow travelers were intellectually engaging. Our group leader was amazingly patient, dedicated, and able to navigate through any issues for travel in the time of COVID. Road Scholar really did a great job. Fantastic!
— Review left October 28, 2021
This was a wonderful experience. Spain is full of history, palaces, cathedrals, museums, and great food! I enjoyed every place we went, especially the Alhambra, the Mosque-Cathedral, the olive museum, the cooking class, and the visit with the local family. The trip was well organized in every detail. Rocio was a great group leader, and she helped us get our COVID tests so we could go home, which was a great relief. I highly recommend this trip!
— Review left October 27, 2021
Very informative! Learned a lot AND had fun!
— Review left October 16, 2019
Southern Spain is fascinating and beautiful, and this trip makes the most of it. The guides and lecturers were excellent, the hotels top notch, the food delicious. There is a lot of walking, but always through intriguing cities, terrific museums and beautiful palaces. I highly recommend this trip!
— Review left June 13, 2019
Each day I asked myself if I could accomplish so much by myself. The answer was always "no". Each day contained activities that were obvious but also many that were more intimate than I could have arranged. I enjoyed every day's activities.
— Review left May 28, 2019
This trip allowed us to experience the art, history, culture and cuisine of southern Spain. The program was led by Rocio, a friendly and well-organized group leader.
— Review left April 17, 2019
Overall an excellent program...coordinator was also excellent!
— Review left April 2, 2019
Lots of history of the Moorish influence in Southern Spain. Enjoyed the classes about the culture of the S. Spanish people and their lives (ie. flamenco dancing, making paella, bull fighting, and touring an olive oil factory).
— Review left April 1, 2019